Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer

Thanks to the advancement of technology in medicine, couples now have several options to achieve a pregnancy. Gamete intrafallopian transfer is an alternative to the traditional method that will help couples to become parents.

Like any treatment, this one has a series of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, each couple must decide, with the help of our specialist, which treatment is the most suitable method for them.

What is gamete intrafallopian transfer?

Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) is an assisted reproductive technique. It consists of transferring the egg and sperm, separately, to the woman’s body in the fallopian tube. Therefore, the union can take place and fertilization can occur.

The main difference between this treatment and others is that fertilization occurs inside the body and not outside. Consequently, gamete intrafallopian transfer is often the preferred procedure for couples.

Who is this procedure recommended for?

Gamete intrafallopian transfer is recommended for:

  1. Couples dealing with male infertility.
  2. A single woman who longs to become a mother.
  3. A couple who have been trying to conceive a child for a year or more and have been unsuccessful.
  4. For women who are infertile for reasons that do not involve the fallopian tubes or uterus.
  5. For those who want a more “ethical” option, compared to treatments performed outside the female body.

How it is the treatment performed?

The first step is for our specialist to review both the man and the woman to see if they are eligible. Not all couples meet the necessary characteristics to undergo this treatment.

Secondly, the woman to take a medication to stimulate the production of eggs in the ovary. Then, once the eggs have matured enough, they will be removed from the female body.

The third step involves mixing the female eggs with the approximately 200,000 sperm.

Finally, our specialist will inject the sperm and egg mixture into the woman’s body through a minor surgery called laparoscopy. They will be placed in the fallopian tube. After that, a pregnancy is expected to develop and success rates are high.

Dr Alvaro Ascenzo

Dr Alvaro Ascenzo is our Specialist in Lima, Peru

Factors that enable success:

  • The number of oocytes collected must be high, as this will have a greater chance of becoming pregnant.
  • A good response of the ovary to hormonal stimulation. This is detected by the presence of high levels of estradiol in the woman’s blood in the middle of the ovarian cycle.
  • The semen sample must contain more than 16% normal male gametes. If there are less than 5% normal sperm in the semen sample, GIFT technique will not be successful.
  • The woman’s age is important. It is recommended not to do the treatment in people over 40 years of age.

What are the disadvantages of this procedure?

  1. It is difficult to meet the necessary characteristics to undergo gamete intrafallopian transfer. It is estimated that only 2% of couples comply with what is necessary.
  2. A probable risk is having an ectopic pregnancy, that is, outside the womb.

Are you interested in gamete intrafallopian transfer? Contact us today!

If you think you might need this type of procedure, please contact us. We can schedule an appointment or you can ask us what you need.

We are also on WhatsApp for additional information or to schedule an appointment.

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